It may not fall from the sky, but it can sure sink quickly. That makes it dangerous. You can make someone else sink quickly. As such, you are a liability to others. Also, most planes can, in theory when there is an emergency, find a place to land. That may or may not save them. When at sea, in an emergency, you cannot simply find a safe port.

I do not find comparing cars to boats apples to apples at all. Cars do not sink. Cars do not get beyond a safe port. When your car gets a hole in it, you can get out and walk. In general, you cannot swim back from a boat.

- CD

Ummm.....

If you're going to compare things, then emergencies happen in cars and trucks too.

Planes are a little different than anything else. The laws of physics keep them in the air. Break the 'rules' (by attempting maneuvers that they aren't built for as an example) and they crash.

The exact same thing applies to both cars and boats - and bicycles and skateboards and roller skates. Why don't we have license for cellular telephones? People are 1) using radio systems.... I have to have a license to use MY radios. And they use them in cars and crash because of them. 2) People on skateboards and roller skates crash all the time on sidewalks, running old people down (in my area especially for some reason). They have licenses. They can crash...

If you're going to compare things, then emergencies happen in cars and trucks too.

Planes are a little different than anything else. The laws of physics keep them in the air. Break the 'rules' (by attempting maneuvers that they aren't built for as an example) and they crash.

The exact same thing applies to both cars and boats - and bicycles and skateboards and roller skates. Why don't we have license for cellular telephones? People are 1) using radio systems.... I have to have a license to use MY radios. And they use them in cars and crash because of them. 2) People on skateboards and roller skates crash all the time on sidewalks, running old people down (in my area especially for some reason). They have licenses. They can crash...

and the lists go on.

That's a silly comparison. I am being serious.

Is boating really that much less dangerous than flying a plane?? Licensing will not suddenly stop the idiots nor will it suddenly stop all fatalities. However, it would help.

How many times have you been cut off by a motor boat that did not know right of way?

How many times have you been buzzed by the wake of a sport fish while at anchor and broken things dopwn below?

How many times have you been clipped at anchor by a motor boat over your rhode?

How many times have you seen a boat on the hard bacuse they did not understand the cans/nuns?

Now THAT list does go on and on...

A simple license, while not stopping all of this, will at least make them aware of them. Break the law, hurt people, etc... pull them off the water.

Did you know: you can go out, today, and buy a 65 foot Hatteras (assuming you have the money). You can hop behind the wheel and start immediately. They do not check credientials, time on the water, or whether you even know how to steer. You bought it... you own it... you can drive it - anywhere.

You cannot even do that with a car. Yet, you are driving an absolute killing machine. You could take out someones family in seconds, including your own.

You cannot even do that with a car... and a boat is much more dangerous than a car. Yet you are required to have a license with a car. With a boat?? Nothing.

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Telstar 28
New England

You know what the first rule of sailing is? ...Love. You can learn all the math in the 'verse, but you take
a boat to the sea you don't love, she'll shake you off just as sure as the turning of the worlds. Love keeps
her going when she oughta fall down, tells you she's hurting 'fore she keens. Makes her a home.

—Cpt. Mal Reynolds, Serenity (edited)

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I said if you're going to compare things, then realize that ALL things are dangerous to some extent, and if that is the case, then ALL things should be registered, legislated, locked, put in safes, and licensed.

It's a ridiculous concept - which is my point - A boat is NOT more dangerous than a car.

I'll explain. How many times have police officers ever shot a boat driver dead because he attempted to run them down with the boat? A handful of times?

People are killed by police more than a dozen times a year in the US because a dumbass attempted to drive a car over a cop.

That ALONE makes a car dangerous and the driver STUPID.

If I learn all I can learn about boating and I take my boat out carefully and thoughtfully, and I take the time to make sure my safety gear is checked and functional and I don't do anything "stupid" I should be fine. Certainly accidents happen and I can't stop some one else from doing a dumb thing and colliding with me.

I can't do anything about it on the "high seas" except attempt to avoid collision.

I can't do anything about it on the "High WAY" except attempt to avoid collision.

But, CARS go FASTER than boats.

Further more:

The average number of US traffic fatalities during the 2001 to 2005 calendar period is 42,873.

I can't give you exact numbers on airplane fatalities, because there's apparently not a precise count in any one place - but in the US alone, there are on average between 21,000 and 40,000fatalities in cars ( no exact count as there are varying figures at various sites.

CD - Though it may shock you, I plan on going through the various ASA certifications this spring and summer in preparation for cruising the gulf in the very near future. I know I don't have to (I mean PB didn't for crying out loud) - and I think I would probably get a more thorough education if I crewed with many of the sailors here for a while, but I don't have that kind of time yet. And no one here would let me on their boat. So there's that.

So, personally I'm all about the licensing idea because it will teach me a lot in a shorter period of time. Then maybe I'll crew prior to my big jaunt when I actually know how/when to deploy a drogue and not just use it as a big clothes hamper.

But believe me, those instructors will be praying to get me off their boat by the end of these courses cause I'll continually heckle the hell out of them about sailing with stones. Now that will be fun!

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